Derek Wilson is a corporate partner and Chair of the Firm’s Corporate Department.  Mr. Wilson serves as primary outside counsel to a large number of emerging growth and mature companies, both public and private. Such representations often commence at the initial formation stage and continue through ultimate sale or merger.

Mr. Wilson has particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliance and joint venture transactions, equity and convertible debt financings, executive compensation arrangements, technology licensing, and product development and distributorship arrangements.  He has completed more than 400 M&A transactions.

Mr. Wilson counsels numerous technology, healthcare, life science and other growth companies, large and small, in connection with all aspects of their corporate, corporate finance, governance, licensing and other transactional needs.

A significant aspect of Mr. Wilson’s practice involves cross-border transactions spanning multiple jurisdictions. He has particular experience representing Japanese companies in their strategic alliances, often involving complex structuring, technology licensing, product development and commercialization arrangements.

Mr. Wilson is resident in Tokyo currently and licensed to practice law in Japan as a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi. In addition to his corporate practice, Mr. Wilson teaches an M&A course at Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of Law, Business Law Department.

Representative clients include Biocartis, Dolby Ventures, Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Penumbra, Inc., R360 Environmental Solutions, Restoration Hardware, Simpson Manufacturing, Sleep Train, Sysmex Corporation, Waste Connections, and Wild Planet Foods.

Mr. Wilson formerly was a partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP.

Represented Sleep Train, a major West Coast mattress and bedroom furnishings retailer, in its $425 million sale to Mattress Firm.

Represented Waste Connections, one of the nation’s largest integrated waste management services companies, in numerous merger and acquisition transactions totaling more than $2 billion.

Represented R360 Environmental Solutions, one of the nation’s leading environmental oilfield waste management providers, in numerous merger and acquisition transactions.

Represented Sysmex Corporation, a global medical diagnostics company, in numerous acquisitions, product development, licensing and distributorship transactions, including  its strategic collaboration with LabCorp for blood-based molecular testing products and services.

Represented Dolby Ventures in its strategic collaboration with Gladstone focusing on Alzheimer’s disease.

Represented DataSong, a marketing analytics firm, in its sale to MarketShare Partners.

Represented Benefitter Insurance Solutions, a technology company providing employee benefit decision support tools to small businesses and their employees, in its sale to HealthMarkets.

Represented Innovative Interfaces, a software company specializing in integrated systems for library management, in its sale to Huntsman Gay Global Capital and JMI Equity.

Mr. Wilson is admitted to practice law in California and is a member of the American Bar Association and Bar Association of San Francisco. Mr. Wilson also is licensed to practice in Japan as a Gaikokuho-Jimu-Bengoshi.  He has published numerous articles and speaks on legal topics relating to corporate finance, intellectual property licensing and strategic alliances.